Bogut's goal: a few more points

Updated 11:30 pm, Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Andrew Bogut won't score 20 a game on this team, but the Warriors could use more than 3.3.

Andrew Bogut won't score 20 a game on this team, but the Warriors could use more than 3.3.

Photo: Danny Johnston, Associated Press

Bogut's goal: a few more points

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Andrew Bogutaveraged 3.3 points on 38.5 percent shooting and 2.8 turnovers on the Warriors' four-game road trip last week, but he'll have a chance to prove those numbers are nothing to worry about during the team's three-game homestand that started Tuesday.

"Offense will come," said the 7-foot center, who is averaging 5.4 points overall this season. "I've struggled a little bit, but I'm not getting a lot of field-goal attempts. I'm not complaining, by any means, but I've just got to make better use of them. Instead of going 0-for-3, I've got to try to go 3-for-3 or 2-for-3.

"Defensively is where I think I can win games for this team. For anyone thinking I'm going to go out there and score 20 a game, that's not going to happen on this team. I expect that. But coach has confidence that I can guard opponents' best big man and try to get stops."

There's no doubt that defense is Bogut's calling card and that his anchoring of the Warriors' defensive scheme is of utmost importance. As he said, he probably single-handedly gets at least one defensive stop for every field goal or free throw that he misses.

But the Warriors might not be finding their big man enough offensive looks. Bogut averaged only 3.25 field-goal attempts per game on the road trip.

Dumping the ball in to him has proved to draw attention away from the team's sharpshooters and get him even more energized on defense.

"Andrew is great. He affects the game in so many ways with his presence in the key," shooting guard Klay Thompsonsaid. "It'd be nice to get him going a little more. He doesn't care about scoring, but we know he's a force down there."

Head coach Mark Jacksonsaid the number of touches Bogut receives isn't the key. Instead, the head coach is focusing on the center's aggression level once he has the ball.

When the big man averaged double-digit scoring for six straight seasons from 2006-07 to 2011-12 in Milwaukee, he was the team's go-to guy and had to put up big offensive numbers to get wins.

"I'd like to see him more aggressive, but one thing you can't get caught up in is that guys are who they are," Jackson said. "He's not a guy who is going to be scoring the basketball like crazy here."

A natural defender, Bogut has naturally found a rhythm on that end of the court as he has recovered from injuries. Offense isn't so natural, so it's going to take some time.

"I've got to make the most of my opportunities," he said. "I'm not going to get a lot of them, but when I get them, I need to make use of them. It's a different role for me. ... I've got to put that pressure on myself to make those first couple of shots. Then, they'll keep coming to me."

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